Social Media Safety 5: Terminology
As we have seen over the last few weeks, there are lots of scams out there. Hard to keep up with them all. I thought I would use this blog as a quick list of technical names, with maybe some examples….
PHISHING – Emails sent pretending to be well-known companies e.g Bank, BT internet, Gas and electric companies, in order to get the recipient to reveal passwords, credit card details, click on link that allow 3rd party access.
VISHING – Phone calls from someone pretending to be from well-known companies e.g banks, etc. after information or getting you to make payments to them over the phone. Well known scams now include them pretending to be HMRC and BT internet
SMISHING – Text messages pretending to be from well-known companies E.g banks etc. May contain links, or a phone number to ring back (it will cost you) or to get you to reveal information such as passwords or credit card details.
PHARMING – is the practice of creating and using a bogus internet website that mimics the appearance, for the victim to input information. For example, a fake Internet banking page, where the user would try to log on.
Keeping up with the crooks is helpful.